Steampunk Knight
by RaiStorm
Summary: Story set in "Steampunk" Victorian Age. Young Natsuki Kruger must become a knight in order to get revenge on the people who killed her father. Will she live up to the Kruger name? Will she find love along the way? Shiznat.
1. Starry Eyed Surprise

Steampunk Knight

For those of you who don't know, steampunk denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often Victorian era England. So this Shiznat story takes place in the Victorian era, but futuristic steam-powered mechanics is used. Think "Wild Wild West" or "Treasure Planet". If you get confused, just PM me.

Oh, and I realize there weren't any knights in the Victorian age, but knights in this story are basically a type of royal guardian. I guess like an Otome, minus the powers.

* * *

Chapter 1

Night drifted over the busy town of Fuuka as Natsuki Kruger wiped her sweaty brow and breathed a content sigh of accomplishment. She'd just repaired her steam-powered motorbike, which she appropriately dubbed the Steambike. It was one of a kind, and a modern marvel at that. It had a slightly roguish look, yet it was beautiful at the same time, much like Kruger herself.

"Ugh, I feel gross," she mumbled to herself, glancing over her grease covered clothes. She was wearing a loose fitting white collared shirt and slightly baggy brown pants that were rolled up to her knees. Leather boots protected her feet and a pair vintage mechanic goggles adorned her head. Trudging to the bathroom, she pulled the goggles off her head and attempted to wipe the grime off. They were her most prized possession. Her father, the famous Silver Wolf, was arguably the greatest knight in all of Garderobe and the original owner of the goggles. The never left his head. However, he was killed two years ago and the protective headwear was left to her. Natsuki never had a mother, and when her father died, she was left to fend for herself at age fifteen. Now seventeen, the wounds left from her father's death haven't healed.

Yet, she wasn't left completely empty handed. The Krugers weren't rich, but they weren't poor either, so Natsuki could afford to live comfortably. She still had to work, however. Not that she minded, she loved working on machines. Her father taught her most of what she knows, since knights had to forge their own armor, which was composed of leather, metal, and machinery. The bluenette was Fuuka's greatest mechanic. It was a craft with a high demand, since the technological age was in full swing, and just about everyone owned some sort of machine. From automobiles to hot air balloons, and even air ships, Naksuki could fix it all.

After a well-deserved shower, she decided to head into town for a drink. Plus, she needed to speak to Yamada, the bartender. So, she hopped on her Steambike and rode into Fuuka. Her mind drifted back to her father. There were many rumors surrounding The Silver Wolf's death. Some say it was an accident, but Natsuki knew better. Two years ago, Daisuki Kruger left Fuuka in order to escort a diplomat to the war-loving nation of Aswald. It was supposed to be a peaceful meeting to figure a possible trade agreement between Garderobe and Aswald. Neither the Silver Wolf nor the diplomat returned. The ruler of Aswald informed the nation that Schwarz, a rebel group that hates the current government, killed them in attempt to start a war. They failed, however. And ever since her father's death, Natsuki has vowed to destroy the people who killed her only family.

"Oi Kruger! Long time no see," Yamada greeted her as she stepped into the bar. "Yeah, yeah you old man," she feigned annoyance, removing her long coat, which was also her father's. She owned only a few feminine clothes, since she was never taught what to wear from lack of a motherly figure in her life. About a fourth of her wardrobe consisted of her father's clothes, and they were all slightly big for her, so she altered them to fit her slender form. Despite all of this, she was still very feminine. One thing that no one else was aware of was that Natsuki Kruger loved lingerie. Even she isn't sure why. Maybe it allows her to be feminine without showing it, or maybe she just likes the way it feels.

Anyway.

"The usual, Yamada," she said, settling down in front of the gruff man, as he poured the alcohol. She grumbled a "thanks" as he handed to her.

"Everyone in this town knows you're not old enough to drink, princess," he smiled, knowing that nickname pissed her off. She snorted.

"Everyone in town also knows that I'm the only one who can fix their useless crap. They know I wouldn't give them my services if they said anything."

"True," they both knew that Natsuki only drank to get through the day. She had it worse than many. Yamada pulled out a damp rag and started to wash a few dirty glasses.

"Any news?" Natsuki asked.

"Oh, I guess I was right when I figured if you only liked me for my information…" Yamada teased, chuckling to himself. Natsuki rolled her eyes. "Actually, Schwarz has been pretty quiet lately. But I'll let you know if anything comes up."

Natsuki sighed. She hadn't really gotten anywhere in her investigation. Schwarz was very elusive and obscure. It was even difficult for someone like Yamada to get information on them. She looked up when the old man spoke.

"If anything DOES come up, what do you plan to do about it anyway? I mean, I know our father was a great warrior, but you aren't. You plannin' on taking down this whole operation single-handed, Kruger?"

Natsuki looked thoughtful for a second. She reached up and adjusted her goggles, something she did out of habit. "Well, I've been working on this airship..." Yamada looked skeptical.

"Look kid, I don't know much about these guys, but I do know they ain't something to mess with." He put the mugs down and proceeded to wipe the counter. "Ever thought about training to become a knight?"

Natsuki took a swig of her drink. "Yes, I have."

"What's holdin' ya back?"

She leaned back in her chair and closed her emerald eyes. Sighing, she fiddled with her headwear again. "Circumstance. Only the wealthy or people with connections can become an apprentice. They'd never consider a middle class mechanic."

"Ah, but you have something no one else does. A name."

"Huh?"

"Ask anyone in Garderobe about the name Kruger. Your father is legendary, princess. They'd be stupid not to let you become an apprentice." Yamada grinned.

"Yeah, but there's one problem. No one knows that the Silver Wolf had a daughter. How am I supposed to prove it?"

"Show them the famous Silver Wolf symbol your father used to wear. Don't you still have his old armor?"

"That's true. I'll think about it, Yamada. But in the mean time, I've got a business to run." She replied, stoic as ever. "I'm going to take down Schwarz, and I can do it without anyone's help."

"You got a good head on your shoulders, kid." Yamada patted her on the shoulder. "But I can see through you're careless façade. I know you dream of becoming a knight, it's in you're eyes whenever someone mentions it. If you want something, you gotta go for it, no matter the risks. I don't know about taking down Schwarz, but I know you're gonna become as legendary a knight as Daisuki one day. You got that Kruger blood." He smiled and turned to another customer. "And the drink's on the house." He winked at her. She snorted.

"You've grown soft old man," she smirked as she grabbed her coat and walked out the door. Yamada only shook his head in response.

* * *

Back at her house, Natsuki pondered Yamada's words.

_Of course I want to follow in Dad's footsteps, but there's no way I can live up to his greatness. I'll just embarrass myself and ruin the family name._

_But then again, he would want me to try. Yeah, I'm sure of that. He always believed in me._

"Dad, should I go for it? Or play it safe and stay here, living comfortably forever?" she spoke aloud, wandering outside to look at the stars. Natsuki has always had a strange fascination with the stars. Whenever she needed to think, she'd look up a the night sky. It made her feel like her father could hear her better. Suddenly, her ears perked up a calm, yet distressed voice coming from the road a little ways from her front porch.

"Sir, I told you I wasn't interested. Now please, allow me to continue my walk in peace."

_Hm? Who would be out this late? And this far from town?_

"Aw, pretty lady, please allow me to... escort you home. There are bad people out at this hour," a gruff voice slurred. As the shadows came into view, Natsuki could make out a woman, probably of nobility considering the top hat, and a well-built lower class man. The man seemed to have some difficulty keeping his balance. The raven-haired mechanic watched on in apprehensive curiosity.

"I'll repeat myself once more, sir. Please leave me alone," Natsuki could make out a sweet, yet forceful Kyoto-ben. The woman did not slow down for the stumbling drunk, she kept long strides. _How could someone sound so polite and strong at the same time?_

"Oi! I said I'll escort you home!" the man growled as he grabbed her by the arm. Natsuki stood up, read to step in, but she didn't have to. The woman pulled out a long barrel revolver from a hidden holster and aimed it directly at his forehead.

"Father would hate for me to use this, especially on one as low and filthy as you. However, if you do not turn around and go home immediately, I just might be forced to break my dear Father's heart," her face was veiled by darkness, but Natsuki could tell she probably had an intimidating expression. The man gasped and wasted no time spinning around and scampering away, tail between his legs. After a moment, the noble woman holstered the revolver and resumed her walk as if nothing happened.

The mechanic jumped off the porch and jogged up to the woman.

"Miss, are you alright? I saw everything just now." she inquired, trying not to sound like the rude, abrasive person that she was. The woman stopped.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did the noise wake you? I had no intention of-"

"No, I didn't wake me, I was just outside and I saw what happened."

"Oh, well good. Ookini for worrying. I'm fine." the woman giggled, which seemed uncharacteristic of her considered she almost put a bullet into that drunk bastard's forehead. "I have had to deal with men like that on many occasions, so I've become quite talented in the art of handling them."

"Heh, well I can certainly see that." Natsuki chuckled. Then, on a strange impulse she said, "Uh, w-would you like to come inside? You know, have a cup of tea? I'm sure you're at least a little bit shaken."

The woman looked thoughtful for a second. "Hm, tea you say? Well, I think I can spare a few moments. Ookini...er...I'm sorry. I never got you're name."

"Oh, Kruger. Natsuki Kruger. Pleased to meet you," she offered a leather gloved hand. The woman gasped.

"Kruger? As in-."

"Silver Wolf? Yup, he was my father."Natsuki interrupted once again, and she couldn't help but proudly puff out her chest a little. The woman was silent for a moment.

"It is quite a pleasure Kruger-han," she took Natsuki's gloved hand with her own. "My name is Viola Shizuru."

* * *

What do you think!? Reviews are nice.

Here's a picture of Natsuki's goggles:

There will be more pics of outfits and stuff later as soon as I can post them on my Deviantart account. I like to draw as well as write. :)


	2. The Plan

Whoo! Quick update! Enjoy folks. :)

**Song(s)**:

World So Cold by Three Days Grace

* * *

Inside, Natsuki could see the woman much better.

She had long chestnut hear and brilliant red eyes. She'd never seen someone with red eyes before. The dark haired girl was slightly taller than the brunette, maybe an inch or so. She was wearing a top hat, which Natsuki thought was kind of funny, and it had a red rose attached to it. She had a lacy beige blouse on underneath a black button-up long sleeve. An intricate leather belt covered her waist, and Natsuki assumed this was where the gun was hidden. There was a strange glass-like jewel on the belt that caught Natsuki's eye. It was blood red and encircled in a brass metal that was shaped like a gear. Her skirt was black with gray pinstripes, and white lace adorned the edges just below the knee. Covering her feet were black boots.

Adjusting her goggles and clearing her throat, the blunette led the wealthy girl to the living room area and sat her down on the couch.

"I'll start the tea," She said gruffly, almost as if she was regretting the decision to invite the girl in. Not waiting for a response, Natsuki stepped into the kitchen and sighed. _Kruger, what are you doing? Talking about Yamada going soft…ha! Look at you! You're losing it._

"Though you've gotta admit…she's easy on the eyes." She mumbled to herself, rummaging through the pots and pans. She grabbed the teapot she was searching for and jumped slightly as a smooth voice broke her from her thoughts.

"Ara, so Kruger-han thinks I'm easy on her eyes?" a chuckling Kyoto-ben drifted over to the mechanic's ears, freezing her on the spot.

"V-Viola-san! U-uhm, no n-no, you misunderstand…" she stumbled, turning abruptly to face the teasing girl. She could feel her face heating up as if she were the teapot. Viola simply smiled with a knowing glint in her eye and said, "I simply wanted to know if you wanted any help. I'm quite the tea connoisseur back at home." She winked.

Still tense from her previous words, Natsuki nodded. "Um, sure Viola-san."

"Just leave it to me. I'm sure you work very hard, so allow me to make you the best cup of tea you've ever had," she insisted, gently taking the teapot from the flustered mechanic's hands. "Go on and relax, I'll be done in a few minutes."

In the living room, Natsuki was baffled, yet pleasantly surprised. This woman wasn't a snob as she expected her to be. Sure she was flirty and seemed to enjoy her teasing ability, but at least she wasn't a stuck-up rich girl. Natsuki hated people like that. Viola kept her word and returned with a tray full of tea.

"Ara, Kruger-han, what exactly do you do?" she said, glancing at the blunette's attire.

"I'm a mechanic."

"Ah, that explains the garage next door, hm?"

"Yeah, would you like a tour?"

"I'd be honored," Shizuru grinned broadly.

Natsuki lead her through a door from the living room to the large garage. It was a single room almost as large as her entire house, and the roof extended twice as high to accommodate the larger vehicles. Natsuki couldn't help but chuckle as Shizuru's red eyes widened in awe at all of the machines. "Welcome to Kruger's Garage, Viola-san," Natsuki grinned crookedly as she gestured dramatically.

"Wow, this is quite the shop you have here," Viola complimented. "And you run it all by yourself? I am thoroughly impressed!"

"Well, thank you. It's actually a pretty laid back, so it's not difficult to stay on top."

"Ah, I figured Natsuki-san likes to be on top. Interesting..." Viola couldn't pass up that glorious opportunity to make the girl blush, which she did. Brilliantly.

"A-hh! What! Again, you misunders-" Natsuki blubbered, face like a fire truck, completely missing the fact that the brunette called her by her first name. "I-I um..." Viola was too busy laughing to help the poor, stuttering girl. "Grrr..." Natsuki growled, realizing the cruel pattern. "Ok, I think you've seen enough of the garage." She grumbled, leading her back through the door to the living room.

"So, tell me," Kruger started, "where are you from?" She looked into ruby-colored eyes.

"I am from Aswald. My family owns a weapons company there," she replied, taking a sip of tea.

"A-Aswald you say?" Natsuki's ears perked instantly at this. "Interesting."

"Ah, not really. The city is quite a mess. There is a lot of pollution. I prefer the clear air and open country here in Fuuka."

"So, why are you here in the first place? Vacation?"

"No, actually I am somewhat of an ambassador. Garderobe has asked to arrange a trade agreement with my home country. I am here on business."

"What! A trade agreement?" Natsuki was shocked. _D__oesn't __Mashiro__ remember what happened the last time that was attempted?_ _This is insane! Absolutely ridiculous. _The blunette felt betrayed. Did the country forget her father that easily? "How dare they!" Natsuki was standing now, pacing back and forth in a rage.

"Kruger-han, I'm sorry if I offended you, but I don't understand," Shizuru tried to calm her down, and placed a hand on the mechanic's shoulder. Natsuki shrugged it off with a grunt.

"Don't touch me."

"Please tell me what's wrong. Again, I apol-"

"No, I'm sorry. It's not you. However, I just remembered, a gentleman is coming tomorrow to pick up his automobile, and I haven't finished replacing the water converter." Her voice was shaking as if she was trying to control her rage. "I'm terribly sorry Viola-san, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Forgive me."

"A-ara, alright. Shall I see you again?" she asked warily.

"Sure, sure. I'll see you around," Natsuki replied coldly, leading the brunette to the door.

A few moments later, Natsuki plopped down on the couch, growling in anger. _How dare they? A trade agreement? What is so important that we get from __Aswald__, anyway? Wait, Viola-__san__ said her family owned a weapons company. Does __Garderobe__ want weapons? For what?_ She unconsciously grabbed the cup of tea that was left on the table and took a sip.

"W-wow," she mumbled into the steaming cup, "...this _is_ good."

* * *

The next day, Natsuki had cooled off and currently in a state of bewilderment. Last night, she'd invited a complete stranger into her home. Shizuru Viola was a sweet noble girl from Aswald. She loved to tease, yeah... _loved_ to tease. Yet, there was more than meets the eye with that red-eyed beauty. Natsuki couldn't deny that she was somewhat attracted to the girl, but really, who wouldn't be? She couldn't think about things like that, though. No, not until Schwarz was taken care of. Speaking of which... _Hmmm... I could use this to my advantage._

_***_

_"_Wait, so you're telling me that this Viola person is an ambassador from Aswald?" said Yuuki Nao, Natsuki's best friend. The blunette went to the redhead's nail salon to share her "brilliant" plan.

"Yeah, and listen. What if I ask to escort her back to her home country? Free ticket to Schwarz." Natsuki asked, cross her arms, quite proud of herself. Nao gave her the infamous 'Are you fucking stupid?' look.

"Mutt, you're a mechanic. Not a knight. How the hell do you expect to protect this rich girl from bandits and monsters and shit? I mean c'mon! The route to Aswald isn't exactly butterfly meadows and happy farms." she reasoned in her trademark sarcastic tone. The blunette grunted in response, "Look, what are the chances of anything messing with us? It's only a three week's travel if we use my Steambike."

"How are you even supposed to get into that damn city if you miraculously make it there? They don't let anyone in."

"That's exactly why I need Viola. If I'm her escort, they'd have to let me in!" she insisted.

"Look, Mutt. You're my friend, so I'm going to be honest with you. YOU ARE A MORON."

"Agh, who needs you anyway, Spider? I going to do this whether you think I should or not."

"What are you gonna do? Lie to her? Tell her you're a knight as a part-time job? Look, I know you're not the sharpest tool in the shed, but you're not a liar. You hate liars, Natsuki."

Sighing, Natsuki reached up and adjusted her goggles. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But I can't pass up this opportunity. Yamada can't seem to get any more information on Schwarz, so I need to take it into my own hands. I need to find those scumbags."

"Kruger, you wanna know what I think? I think you need to let go of this unhealthy obsession." Nao offered. Natsuki shot up from her chair, which toppled over from the sudden force and landed with a thud.

"Would _you_? If you were in my situation, would _you_ just let it go?" Natsuki threw up her arms in a fury, green eyes blazing.

"I...uh..."

"That's what I thought."

"Hey! Would your father want you to risk your life trying to get revenge on these people?" Nao stood up as well.

"..."

"That's what I thought," Nao shot back just before her front door slammed shut. She heard the rev of Natsuki's steambike and sighed, rubbing her temples in agitation.

* * *

Natsuki couldn't calm down. She couldn't. It felt like she was locked in a box and everyone had a key but her. She sped up on her bike, racing through the streets of Fuuka furiously. Lying to Viola was to be a small price to pay in order to get closer to Schwarz, closer to her father. She felt like the only way she could stay connected to him was if she fought to avenge him. _He would be proud, right? Right? Damn....I miss him. _

_**Flashback**_

"Daddy! Look what I did! Look!" A six-year-old Natsuki Kruger giggled, running towards her father with a small gadget in her arms.

"Haha! Let me see what my brilliant inventor came up with this time!" he laughed, lifting his daughter up in a big bear hug. The man was of average height, well-muscled, and had short, cropped hair, slightly darker than Natsuki's blueish mane. His eyes were clear blue, and when he smiled, it was like the sun reflecting off of ocean waves. The familiar steam goggles adorned his head and glinted in the sunlight. Natsuki lifted the gadget to her father's face.

"It's a watch! I made it especially for you. So when you can count down the minutes until you can come back home when you go on your long trips." Natsuki grinned proudly, puffing out her chest. Daisuki took the watch and turned it over in his rough hands. It band was made of leather and had notches in it to adjust the length. The clock itself was made out of a hollowed our brass gear. The young girl put the old face of a pocket watch inside the gear.

"Wow, Natsuki. This is absolutely mind-boggling! I'll take this with me everywhere I go," he beamed, proud that his six-year-old was already a fantastic craftsman. "Princess, you are amazing. And let me tell you something," he lowered her to the floor and bent down on a knee. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Ever. If they do, I'll make sure they aren't able to say anything ever again. You are really something special, Natsuki."

The young blunette's face lit up. "Ok daddy. And same goes for you! If anyone ever hurts you, I'll make sure they won't be able to hurt anyone ever again!" She declared, kissing him on the cheek. Daisuki just laughed and smiled whole-heartedly as he engulfed his only daughter in another crushing bear hug.

* * *

"I'll make sure those people will never hurt anyone else ever again, Dad. You can count on me," the raven-haired girl vowed to the stars as she opened her front door to go to bed.

* * *

Reviews are nice! ;)

Apparently the link was bad, so here are the Kruger Goggles (hopefully): http: // corvusart. com / blog / wp-content / uploads / 2008 / 10 / steampunk-goggles. jpg

Thanks! I'll update later this week. :)

* * *


	3. The Devilish Things We Do

Another chapter! I decided to put in a bit of a side plot, so tell me what you think. ;)

**Song(s):** (Great songs, check em out!)

After Tonight by Justin Nozuka

Embers by Just Jack

* * *

**Chapter 3**

The next evening…

Natsuki was headed to the bar again to try and drink her troubles away. It never worked, but that's never stopped the her before. There was a full moon out that night, and she always bolder on the full moon, more alive. Blood pumped through her veins as she flew through the barren streets of Fuuka on her bike, cool wind whipping around her face and chapping her lips. The only things illuminating the dark city were the moon and a few stray streetlights here and there. Screeching around a corner, Natsuki brought her homemade vehicle to a halt in front of the familiar building.

"Oi, Old Man!" The abrasive teen grunted as the door flew open, making the four other people in the bar jump and look up before returning to their previous activities. "I had a bad night last night and I'm gonna ne-" she stopped mid-sentence as a certain sandy-haired, crimson-eyed girl turned and looked her in the eye, smiling.

"Ara! Kruger-han! What a c-coincidence," she greeted merrily, a little too merrily…

"H-hello, Viola-san," she replied awkwardly, " Er, what are you doing here?"

"My, it seems as if someone doesn't want me here…" she sighed, taking a swig from her mug, "How familiar… hic." Natsuki stiffened. She was drunk.

"That's not what I meant. Look Viola-san, how much have you been drinking?" The mechanic questioned, shocked to find that a woman of her stature drank, especially in a place like this. Wait, Viola was maybe a year older than Natsuki…she isn't allowed to drink. Unless…

"Yamada! Why did you give her alcohol!? She's underage!" the dark-haired man looked up, disgruntled.

"She came in here about two hours ago extremely upset," he growled, "I couldn't refuse to serve her. Plus, I serve you drinks so what's the big deal?"

Natsuki took a deep breath, reaching up and adjusting the band of her goggles in frustration. "You could've cut her off before she got drunk." She gestured to the giggling brunette who was currently swaying in her seat. "How is she supposed to get home, you idiot!"

"Damn, don't jump down my throat! She's been paying very well, too well for me to refuse her requests," he grunted, baring his teeth menacingly. "Why do you care so much anyway, Kruger?"

Natsuki stepped back, the accusing question hitting her like a brick wall. Why did she care so much? Well, if it were Nao in the same situation she would react the same, right?. She was sure of it. The mechanic clenched her fists. "Shizuru, come with me. I'm taking you home."

"A-ara, aggressive aren't we, Kruger-han? I mean, I only just met you. I think you're sweet and all, but I'm not that kind of girl," she hiccupped, blushing slightly. Natsuki rolled her eyes and held out her hand, giving Shizuru her infamous Death Glare. Shizuru coughed at the intensity, but didn't lose her fox-like grin. "Alright, if you insist…" She got up wobbly and grabbed the counter for support. Natsuki walked over and grabbed her arm, leading her out the door. Before the went out she turned back to Yamada.

"Watch yourself, Old Man," she warned, pointing at him accusingly before slamming the door behind her and Shizuru. Yamada smirked and shook his head, that girl was never going to change.

The blunette sighed as Shizuru latched onto her arm, giggling like a school girl. The noble girl was wearing basically the same thing she had on the other day, except she didn't have the hat and her shirt was red. However, Natsuki's emerald eyes widened in shock when she noticed a large purple bruise on the brunette's arm, just below the sleeve. _How the hell did that happen? Was that from the other night when that man grabbed her? I didn't think he grabbed her that hard._

"Oi, w-where are you staying? I'm taking you home," Natsuki said, trying to sound like she didn't notice anything strange. Shizuru's eyes widened and her grip on Natsuki's arm tightened.

"No, not there," she replied, the drunken giddiness suddenly disappeared, replaced by a very serious Shizuru. Her crimson eyes darkened and her face turned stony. Natsuki didn't know what to say.

"Er, where do you want to go then? You can just sleep in the bar tonight."

"A-ara, anywhere but there, Natsuki," she whispered softly, turning her suddenly sober and tired eyes onto the blunettes verdant ones. _Damn…my house it is then…wait…did she just call me Natsuki?_

"Fine, you can stay at my place tonight," she touched her goggles in slight agitation. "Hop on." She gestured to her steam bike.

"Ooh, I've never ridden such a strange contraption before!" Shizuru giggled, her drunk stated suddenly found its way back to the surface again. Natsuki sighed. It was going to be a long night, and she never got her drink.

At Natsuki's home, Shizuru had sobered up to the point where she could have a civilized conversation. With this ability she began to apologize profusely and explain herself to the less-than-happy mechanic.

"I'm sorry, very sorry, Kruger-han. This never happens, I am not usually like this," she was struggling to put her mask back in its usual place. This girl made her do things she normally did not do. She was depressed after Natsuki kicked her out the other day, and then…that happened, and she couldn't take it. She went to that raggedy old bar and drank herself into a puddle. Now, she couldn't place her usual cover of smiles and good charm back on her face because she was terrified she'd made a bad impression of herself to this beautiful girl. She even struggled to look into her vivid green eyes. _There is no way I'm falling apart this easily. Not after I'd worked so hard to create an impenetrable wall of defense._

Natsuki was having a similar inner monologue.

_Why do I care? Why should I? This girl is complete stranger, whom I am only going to use to get into Aswald. But, I couldn't leave her in the streets, hell, I couldn't even argue when she refused to go home. There was something in her eyes when she said no. It wasn't fear, no, I think it was more of a grim fact of reality that slapped her out of her drunken daze for a moment._

_Wait, I need to focus on the mission._

"It's alright Viola-san, don't worry about it," she said, waving her vaguely hand in dismissal, "However, I was wondering when you plan on leaving Fuuka."

Shizuru lifted her eyes to the mechanic's. "Again with the wanting me gone so soon, hm? I get it, I'll leave."

"No, no that's not what I meant," she replied hastily, putting her hands up defensively._ Geez, I need to work on my people skills. Maybe Nao can hel-, er…nevermind. Bad idea._ "I was only wondering because, well…" Natsuki fidgeted a little, slightly nervous, "Do you think you would want an escort?"

"Ara?"

"Well, because I am a knight, you know, and the route is very dangerous…and…" she wasn't a very good liar.

Shizuru smirked. "I thought Kruger-han was a mechanic. She didn't say anything about being a knight…"

"Er, well, it's kind of a side-job, you know? Got to make sure those bills get paid, heh," she was flustered despite herself. _Damn, she's not falling for it._

"Hm, well you see, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I have traveled back and forth from Aswald to Fuuka many a time," she decided to give Kruger a taste of her own medicine.

"I know you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, but that's not the poin-"

"Well, what's the point of escorts are only for protection?" Payback is a bitch. Shizuru smirked.

Natsuki knew she was going to be rejected if she didn't try a different approach.

"Do you usually walk the whole way?" Shizuru nodded. "Well I could take you on my bike and cut the travel time in half." The blunette reasoned, and the ambassador looked thoughtful.

"Hm, that is quite a tempting offer…" Shizuru never planned on saying no, but it was fun to make the mechanic squirm. She laughed inside when Natsuki tensed with anticipation. "Alright, I accept your proposition, Kruger-han."

Natsuki nodded on the outside but did multiple victory fist pumps on the inside. "Great! When do we leave?"

"Ara, hasty aren't we? I'm not due to leave until I arrange the trade agreement with Garderobe…so not for another two weeks," the brunette said, wondering what the rush was. _So impatient…_

_Two weeks…hm. That gives me time to train on my own a little, just in case something does mess with us. I don't want to look like a complete moron._ "Alright, sounds good. But right now, I think a certain girl named Viola should head to bed. Hah, you are going to have one hell of a headache tomorrow!"

"Ah, yes. Can't argue with that. That's what I get for acting so foolish…" Shizuru agreed, slightly ashamed of herself. Natsuki led her to the guest bedroom and bid her goodnight. Before she walked out the door the red-eyed girl stopped her. "No good night kiss? Ara, that won't do."

Shizuru grabbed the mechanic by the arm and pecked her on the check before she could pull away. Natsuki gasped and felt the blood rush to her face. She didn't know how to react so she put her hand to her cheek and backed out of the room slowly. "Er, g-goodnight, V-Viola-san." She turned heel and strode out quickly, accidentally slamming the door in the process. Shizuru just chuckled, and swayed slightly, forgetting the effects of the alcohol for a moment. "Goodnight, Nat-su-ki..."

The raven-haired girl, after calming herself down, went into her garage and opened a hidden door in the back that led to her father's old workshop. This was where he worked to improved his armor before missions and such. She rarely went in here because it still smelled like him, but she needed to fix up the armor. It was a small room, with a black screen on the back wall that was used to map out machine designs. There were various tools next to it, and Daisuki's armor was hung up on the right wall, encased in a glass box for protection.

Natsuki put her hand on the glass, not caring if it left her fingerprints. The armor was black, which was rare for a knight. Usually, it was brown, silver, or reddish, as that was the color of the materials: metal and machinery. However, Natsuki's father was an expert in armor forging. He worked with a rare foreign metal called Obsidian, a rock that is formed from magma. Some say it's a cursed mineral, so it wasn't used very often, but the Krugers weren't superstitious. If smelted correctly, it is stronger than diamond, but lighter than wood. There were several ice-blue colored jewels located on various places of the armor. One on the back of each hand of the gauntlets, one on each shoulder piece, and a larger one in the middle of the chest plate. Encasing the jewels were gear-shaped pieces of steel to protect them.

The helmet was a work of art. It was jet black and held together with gear-shaped screws. There was a strip of silver wolf fur running down the middle, almost like a mohawk, and it hung off the back, mimicking a wolf tail. If you looked extremely closely at the entire set, you would be able to see intricate blue designs etched into the Obsidian. When powered up, the blue designs glow, making it look surreal. That is the purpose of the jewels, they power the armor. It is a machine, not just a metal suit. The gauntlets have openings in the palms that are weapons in themselves. They shoot an ice agent that can freeze anything that moves. There are two guns hidden in the shoulder plates, underneath the jewels, that will rise at will. These contained the freezing agent as well.

This, just after Natsuki of course, was the Silver Wolf's pride and joy.

Opening the case, Natsuki carefully removed the armor and brought it to the garage where she could have more room to work. She laid it down on a large table and began to measure it. It was a few inches too tall, and the chest plate was too wide. The mechanic sighed, she didn't want to tamper with her father's work, but she didn't have much of a choice. She figured she would just have to get it hot enough to rework the metal, which would be a lot better than having to start over from scratch. Placing her goggles over her eyes and rolling up her sleeves, the blunette removed the large blue jewel and started up the large coal furnace.

A few hours later, the armor was successfully revamped to fit her feminine form.

"Whoo, not bad, Kruger," she praised herself on a job well down, looking the Obsidian set up and down. "This machinery looks a little old, maybe I should fix it up it a bit..." she mumbled, running her fingers across some wiring that was sticking out from the shoulder. The rest of the night, Natsuki worked on that armor, improving the wiring, polishing the metal, and even adding a few weapons of her own...

* * *

The next morning, Natsuki stumbled back into her living room after a long, sleepless night to hear a certain red-eyed girl humming happily from the kitchen.

Natsuki stretched and yawned tiredly. "Viola-san?" The scent of pancakes wafted from the adjacent room, and the blunette's mouth water hungrily. "Ara, Kruger-han, good morning." Viola replied, peeking her head out from the kitchen threshold. "I heard you you hard working this morning so I took it upon myself to make breakfast, I hope you don't mind. Also, it's partly as a thank you for last night."

"No, I don't mind at all. And as for last night, it's no big deal..." she blushed as she remembered the "goodnight kiss." Shizuru did not currently act or seem like a person who drank as much as she did the night before. _Looks like someone handles a hangover pretty well..._Natsuki thought to herself in amusement.

"Oh, it is a big deal, Kruger-han," Shizuru replied, setting a plate of pancakes in front of the mechanic as she sat at the table, "Not many people here are as sweet as you are."

Natsuki blushed. _I am not sweet. I don't know what she's talking about. _She would have said that out loud, but her mouth was too full, so she shot the brunette and icy glare instead, eliciting a laugh form the latter. However, the statement seemed to have some other meaning. Natsuki suddenly remembered the nasty bruise she spotted last night, and glanced at the brunette's arm worriedly. This didn't go unnoticed by Shizuru, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat, allowing for an awkward silence. The blunette didn't really want to get involved with whatever situation caused that bruise, but the protective side of her was beating the sensible side. "Um, Shiz-- I mean, Viola-san," she started, almost calling the girl by her first name, "Did something happen last night that I should know about?"

Shizuru would have teased Natsuki about the name business under normal circumstances, but she couldn't bring herself to.

"Ara, you mean this?" she pointed to her arm, "It is nothing you should worry about. I simply tripped yesterday and landed on a rather hard rock." Nasuki may have just met Viola, but she could tell that this wasn't the type of girl who "simply tripped." However, the blunette decided not to push the issue. But the truth was, she did _not_ want Shizuru going back to the place that caused her to make that expression last night. She took a deep breath and made her decision.

"Viola-san, would you like to stay here for a few days? We should get to know each other better before the trip in a couple weeks." Natsuki rubbed the back of her head bashfully. Shizuru's crimson eyes widened. _This girl... she is not as dense as she tries to come off to be. She knows I do not wish to return to my apartment. Ara... I think I've found an angel. _

_"_Er, Viola-san...?" Natsuki waved her hand in front of the spaced-out noble. "Ara! Oh, yes, sure Kruger-han. That is a great idea! Just allow me to retrieve my things from my apartment later." Shizuru clasped her hands together excitedly. The blunette nodded and leaned back in her seat. "Ok. Thanks for breakfast by the way. I haven't had a good meal like that in a long time. I'm not much of a cook..." Natsuki chuckled. Shizuru laughed in reply.

"It's the least I could do."

* * *

**Another one down! I've been trying hard to make the chapters longer, but I'm not a very patient person...sorry folks! Haha. **

**Oh, before I forget, I have a Youtube account that you all might enjoy. I've got some Shiznat vids if you'd like to check them out. ;)**

**http: // You tube .com / user / RaiCat2**

**I will update soon.**


	4. One Step Closer

**Ah, sorry about the lack of updates. Life can do that sometimes!**

**Hope you enjoy. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to stay with you, Kruger-han," Shizuru said as she carried her suitcase into Natsuki's spare room.

"Ah, its no problem," the mechanic was huffing and puffing, hauling three of Shizuru's bags into the room with some difficulty, "W-What the heck is in these bags anyway!?"

"Heh, well…mostly clothes," Shizuru chuckled, slightly embarrassed. "I have to be well-dressed for my job."

"Geez! That must suck!"

"Ara, I quite like my clothes, thank you very much."

"Oh, that's not what I meant…" Natsuki dropped the bags next to the bed, and they landed with a thud. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I don't know all that much about fashion." She smirked with a hint of playfulness. Shizuru laughed.

"Well, that's no matter. I will gladly let Kruger-han borrow some of my clothes!" Viola clapped her hands excitedly. "Let's try on this dress, yes?" She pulled out a black dress with white lace from one of the bags and held it up to the stunned mechanic.

Natsuki jumped back. "No way in hell!"

Shizuru chuckled, but let it go. "Ah, well…we'll just have to warm you up to the idea. All in due time… Natsuki."

The blunette was startled by the use of her first name, but she was glad the transition out of formality was so swift. She disliked the awkward way one had to jump through hoops to get acquainted with somebody.

"We'll see about that… Shizuru," she remarked in a husky voice and unknowingly flashing a charming grin that secretly made the brunette's heart jump. Yet, the ambassador recovered quickly and prepared for a counter attack.

"Ara… I wonder if Natsuki realizes that I am a Viola," she moved closer to the mechanic until their face were in the intimate zone, "…and Violas never lose."

Natsuki's face lit up in embarrassment from their current proximity. "Ah…er…s-sure." _Anything to get you out of my bubble! Just because I let you call me by my first name doesn't mean you can tease me like this! …Not like that's ever stopped you before…_

Shizuru mentally chalked up another clean victory. No casualties this time. She took a step back.

"Well, I believe I will cook for tonight as a thank you, if you don't mind." She said cheerfully, clasping her hands together.

"Y-yeah, that'd be great, thanks," Natsuki mumbled, suddenly awkward. _Geez, such emotion this woman can pull out of me at something so small as getting into my personal space. Price to pay, price to pay. Keep your eye on the prize, Kruger._

After dinner, Natsuki excused herself to her workshop and told Shizuru to make herself at home. She decided to take her metal suit for a spin out in the fields behind her house. The armor was not as heavy as it looked thanks to the properties of the Obsidian, so the blunette had no trouble getting it on.

Once outside, she flipped up the visor on the helmet and glanced around for a target.

"I must admit, I feel pretty badass in this."

"Yes, and it looks quite dashing on Natsuki, too."

The mechanic jumped. "Oi! What? Shizuru!"

"Kannin na, Natsuki. I was just going to ask if you wanted some tea, but you weren't in the garage as you said. So I came out here to find you." She apologized, "Do you mind if I watch you practice? I have heard tales about the legendary Silver Wolf's armor, however, I am surprised it's not silver as the name suggests."

_Oh, shit._

_I'm going to made a fool of myself. Damn this woman! There's no way she's going to believe I'm a Knight is she watches this! What should I do!? Say no, Kruger!_

"Ah… sure. Do what you want," _Dammit! But I can say no to eyes like that! What's wrong with me… Ok, just try and act like you know what your doing._

Taking a few steps forward, she took aim at a small tree that was about twenty yards away. She positioned her left hand over a button on the inside of her right elbow that fired the ice blasts from the palm. The mechanic closed one eye and prayed.

CRACK!

The tree made a snapping sound as it froze and shattered, sending ice shards into the air. Both bystanders covered their faces as the ice came down like pellets of hail.

"Ara! Bravo, Natsuki!"

"Hehe, thanks!" _Can't believed that worked._

Feeling smug and pumped up from her lucky shot, she took aim at another innocent sapling.

CRACK!

And another.

CRACK!

CRACK!

"If you keep this up, there won't be enough oxygen for the human race," Shizuru teased, chuckling.

Natsuki stopped. "Guess I got a little carried away… Haven't used this thing in a while." Even though she'd never used the armor in her life.

"Well, it's getting a little chilly out here, wouldn't you say?" Fall was fast approaching. "How about that tea?"

Natsuki nodded. "Alright."

The next week played about similarly. Natsuki would go out and train with her suit while Shizuru would go into town and have meetings with business officials. The capital of Garderobe was located in Fuuka, so the noble woman could easily walk. Then, she would shop and cook the remainder of the time as payment for living with the mechanic, even though Natsuki didn't ask for any kind of rent.

The blunette eventually set aside her mechanic duties in order to practice, and soon found she was a natural. As her confidence rose, she slowly moved up to moving targets, showing no mercy to the forest animals that dared to trespass in her backyard. She experimented with the guns on the shoulders and even fought a tree hand-to-hand. Or…hand-to-limb? But, something was missing. She thought back to when her father trained in the backyard…he'd used training dummies for one thing, but that wasn't it.

The sword!

She'd completely forgotten about it. Unfortunately, the Kruger sword, Duran, went missing during the time of her father's death. However, she remembered its beauty. The blade was deep black, like liquid night sky, and light as a feather. The hilt was silver and designed to resemble a howling wolf. The ice blue jewel in the center mimicked the moon to which the lonesome creature was crying. Daisuke Kruger did not carry a shield, as it was slightly unnecessary considering the toughness of the armor itself.

Some may have deemed a sword unnecessary as well since the coming of the technological age. However, most of the Knights today still used them for close combat.

Natsuki was no blacksmith, so she would have to buy one. She may not be an official Knight, but she needed to act like one regardless. Shizuru may believe her, but it will be tougher fooling the border guards in Aswald. The country is very strict about who gets in and out of their cities, and everyone is checked prior to entrance.

So, the pseudo-Knight rode into town later that day in search for a sword. The blacksmith, John Smith, was an immigrant from Aries who'd moved to Garderobe to get away from a civil war. He was a kind old man who took pride in his work.

"Ah, hello Miss Kruger! Welcome!" he greeted the mechanic as she stepped into the workshop. He was well built for his age and sported cropped gray hair. His face was usually clean shaven, but today it was leaning on the scruffy side. He always wore an apron over his work clothes, but it didn't seem to help at all; the man was always covered in soot. He was very patient and good-natured, and his friendliness made him very popular, and he knew almost every citizen by name.

"Hello, Smith-san, how are you?" Natsuki grinned, unable to maintain her icy demeanor.

"Very good, very good! I have just completed an order of horseshoes for a young man and I was just about to sit down for some coffee. Care to join me?"

"Sure, that sounds great."

"So, what brings Fuuka's grand mechanic to my humble shop this afternoon?" Smith poured two mugs of coffee. Natsuki chuckled at the compliment.

"Well, this may sound like a strange request, but I need a sword." She cut straight to the point. The blacksmith looked surprised.

"Well, I haven't had someone order a sword in years! This is quite a shock!" He gave a hearty laugh and slapped his knee. "Ah, it feels nostalgic. I remember back in the day when everyone owned a sword! It was a rite of passage in Aries, every boy must have earned a sword before they could be called a man."

Mechanics had overrun the metal-working business in recent years, so Krugers Garage was more prosperous nowadays than John's Workshop. Blacksmithing was becoming out-dated, but was still essential, as most mechanics didn't make their own parts. They usually ordered them from blacksmiths. Natsuki was probably one of John's best customers.

"Ah, yes, it is strange. But will it be a problem?" The blunette inquired.

"No, no, not at all! Quite the contrary, actually!" the gray-haired man exclaimed, blue eyes twinkling. "I've been itching to make a sword for years, but I just couldn't find an excuse to. Now, you've given me one!"

"That's great!" Natsuki was genuinely happy for the man. "But, I've got a question for you."

"Alright, shoot."

"Would you be able to recreate…this?" she pulled out a sketch of Duran that she worked on last night. John took it from her hands and examined it thoughtfully, stroking his scruffy chin.

"What kind of metal is this? I can't say I recognize it…" Obsidian was such a rare metal, that it wasn't unheard of that a blacksmith wasn't familiar with it.

"It's called Obsidian. That was my father's sword."

"Obsidian….Obsidian…." he repeated the word as if her was trying to remember something. "Oh! Yes, quite a mineral it is. I recall it now."

"So, is it possible?"

"Hmm, well if I can get my hands on some Obsidian it is very possible. However, I do not know of anyone who could supply me with some…"

"If I could get some to you, would you do it?"

"Yes, yes of course! But where can you find such a precious mineral?"

"I don't think that will be too much of a problem," Natsuki smirked, automatically thinking of Yamada.

Next stop, the tavern.

xXx

"Oi! Yamada!" Natsuki barged in her usual way: yelling at the poor old bartender. She couldn't hold back a grin this time, her excitement was bubbling over.

"What! Geez, kid, one of these days you're gonna bust my eardrum!" He retorted grumpily, setting down the glass he was washing. The others customers in the tavern paid no heed to the blue-haired girl, as they were regulars, and quite used her her impact entrance.

Natsuki sat down at the counter and rested her chin on her hand, grinning from ear to ear. Yamada eyed her suspiciously. "What're you so happy for? I've never seen you come here in a good mood."

"Wanna make some cash?" She asked cooly.

"'Course I do! You nuts!?" She had his attention now.

"I need you to get me some Obsidian," she lowered her voice to a whisper, leaning forward slightly. "And quick."

Yamada's eyes widened. "Baka! Obsidian!? That's the rarest metal known to man!"

"I need it by tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!? You're outta your mind, kid!"

Natsuki tore off a piece of paper from the sketch she made and scribbled down a number. She slid it across the counter.

Yamada did a double-take, mouth wide open.

"So..."

The bartender coughed, and calmly replied, "Yes, I think that can be arranged."

xXx

"I still can't believe you were able to get this to me so quickly, Miss Kruger!" John Smith examined the Obsidian with excitement glowing in his eyes. "I would ask where you obtained it, but I'm afraid I wouldn't want to know." He chuckled, and Natsuki joined in.

"Heh, well I don't even know, to be honest."_ I need to ask Yamada..._

_"_Ah, well it's no issue," he waved it off. "...When do you need the finished product?" The blacksmith seemed to be in deep thought.

"I'm going on a trip in six days, so anytime before then would be great."

"That would be fine. Er...do you mind if I keep your sketch?"

"No, no. Take it." She handed over the folded parchment and began to take her leave. "Thank you, Smith-san. I appreciate it!"

"My pleasure, dear!" He smiled. "Come back in six days!"

"Will do." She waved as she closed the door behind her. _One step closer._

* * *

**Sorry for the lateness again....and the shortness of this chapter. I'm still working out the story in my head. ;^^**

**I will update soon!**


	5. Not So Minor Complications

**Here's the next installment! Enjoy! **

* * *

Chapter 5

"It's windy today," Shizuru noted as she strolled up the road towards Natsuki's house. Her hair billowed out behind her as she fought against the strong gusts. Fall was fast approaching and the air was growing cooler with each passing day. The trees were well on their way to turning, and everyone was preparing for the crisp cold that came with every fall.

Tomorrow was the day.

The day she and Natsuki would set out on their journey to Aswald.

Shizuru's business was done in Fuuka. Garderobe would now be buying it's military supplies from Viola Weaponry.

Her father put so much pressure on her to follow in his footsteps, to bring honor to the family name, to take over Viola Weaponry when he retires. Shizuru did not mind working as an ambassador, nor did she mind traveling, but she did mind the expectations that came with it.

It was frustrating to have to live out someone else's dream for your life. Not only did Shizuru hate being told who she was supposed to be, but she hated the company itself, and what it stood for.

She carried a weapon herself, the revolver, but it proved to be a necessary evil. So it wasn't the weapons themselves, but the violence that came with them. Violence has scarred her in more ways than one, and she abhorred the thought of spreading that to others like herself. However, she needed to defend herself in the mean time. Soon, she was going to escape her fate and start her own business, do something good for the world.

When she met Natsuki a few weeks ago, her overall demeanor became… happier. The mechanic was awkward, distant, cold… but there was something endearing about her. Shizuru narrowed it down to both of them trying to cope with their private loneliness. Shizuru wanted to learn more about the dark-haired beauty, but Natsuki had some secret agenda that prevented her from doing so.

Shizuru was not stupid. She knew the raven-haired girl was not a Knight and was using her to get into Aswald. The brunette was simply curious about her. Plus, in a way, she was using Natsuki as well.

"Ah, Shizuru, there you are!" Speak of the devil. The blunette called from the front porch as the noble girl approached. "Look I want to show you something!"

"I am coming, Natsuki!"

Natsuki was holding something behind her back and smirking. "Well, don't just stand there looking smug… show me!" Shizuru said.

The mechanic swung the package around. It was long and narrow, wrapped neatly in a swathing of cloth. Natsuki didn't wait for Shizuru to ask and quickly unwrapped it, revealing a sheathed sword.

"It was finished early."

"It's a sword!"

"Yeah, an exact replica of my father's blade. It went missing years ago." She unsheathed it, revealing the shining Obsidian. The light reflecting off of the blade made it look slightly unsettling, but dangerously beautiful. "This is Durakin."

"Ara, it's gorgeous," the brunette lightly touched the cold metal, admiring the excellent craftsmanship. Natsuki slid it back into the scabbard, careful to avoid Shizuru's fingers.

"What was the name of the original?"

"Duran. Dad let me name it."

"He must have spoiled you rotten," Both of them chuckled, trying to displace the sorrowful aura that had fallen over the conversation.

"Heh, well… we should finish packing for tomorrow, huh?" The blunette fiddled with her goggles, deep in thought.

"Yes, I'm quite looking forward to this trip," Shizuru smiled as another gust of wind blew her hair. Natsuki was snapped out of her daze by the perfect image.

"Er… me too," she mumbled, ushering the brunette inside. Natsuki smiled secretly to herself.

xXx

It was around ten o' clock when the storm arrived.

It was a monstrous tempest, one in which the thunder shook the earth and the lightning made the night turn into day for a few seconds at a time. Neither of the two women in the house could sleep with the deafening ruckus disturbing the peace. They weren't afraid, but it sounded like a dozen steam-propelled heli-planes swarming the sky right above Kruger's house.

Sometime around midnight Natsuki pulled herself out of bed and stumbled to the kitchen, grumbling about the sleep she wasn't getting. Maybe a glass of milk would make her drowsy. The walls lit up momentarily from the flash of electricity that came from the heavens. After her eyes adjusted to the dark again, she peered through the threshold that divided the kitchen from the living room, and was surprised to find Shizuru sitting by the window sill, staring outside.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki stepped further into the living room. She was rubbing her eye, and in the process managed to make herself look quite childish.

"...I see the storm kept you up, as well," she chuckled, her accented voice sounding tired. "Could you come here? I want to show you something."

Natsuki was too tired to analyze anything so she did as she was told. "Hm, what is it?"

Shizuru revealed a small gadget in her hands that looked somewhat like a simple watch and chain. It was made of brass and was quite mundane compared to the extravagant designs of gadgets and thingamajigs these days. Natsuki decided it was about a half a century old, considering this.

"My good friend, Rad, is an inventor. He took and old pocket watch and transformed it into this little marvel here," she held up the circular object and smiled secretively. The mechanic cocked her head to the side and leaned forward, instantly curious. Shizuru decided that the blunette looked too much like a puppy, and if she had a tail, it would be wagging furiously in anticipation. "Heel, doggy!" Shizuru laughed and had to resist patting her on the head. Natsuki huffed indignantly and crossed her arms.

"Anyway, this is called a 'True Intentions Device'." She opened it up. On the top half, there was a meter of some sort. It went from green to red, and the arrow was currently pointing to the green end. The bottom half was made up of dozens of tiny golden gears that all seem to move as one. The gadget made a small ticking noise as if it were really a watch meant to tell time. Natsuki couldn't resist reaching out and trying to touch one of the gears, but Shizuru snapped it shut before she could do so. She wagged her finger back and forth as if to scold the misbehaving pup.

"Ah, ah, ah! First, I have to tell you the story behind it."

"Story? Just tell me what it does!"

Shizuru ignored her and began the story. "Well, first off, there's something you should know about my friend, Rad. He is a cyborg." Natsuki's eyes widened. Robotics was still a very new technology. It was shocking to find that someone was _half-robot_, especially when it took _years_ for the most talented inventor to create even the simplest android. "He is the first to have been able to perfect the human-machine structure. It's not surprising that you haven't heard anything about this breakthrough, first because only a few know about Rad and his whereabouts, second because he doesn't want anyone to know."

Natsuki felt giddy. Robotics fascinated her, and knowing about this recent breakthrough peaked her interest. "Why wouldn't he want to share this with people? It's amazing!"

"Hm, well that's what I asked him. He never gave me a direct answer."

Natsuki snorted. "What an idiot. He could be famous... and rich."

"There are some things that are more important..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Ok, can I get back to the story?" Natsuki waved her hand vaguely for her to continue. "Well, about a year ago... Rad was badly wounded. To this day he still won't tell me how or why. It was a stormy night, much like this one, when he arrived at my doorstep with two gunshot wounds: One to his leg and one to his abdomen. Now, I have no idea where he came from or how he was still breathing at that point, but I rushed him to a nearby hospital."

Thunder shook the house.

"They managed to save him, but he lost his right leg and some of the right side of his abdomen," Shizuru fiddled with the dangling chain. "He disappeared after that."

"So, you don't have a clue about where he's from? Or where he went?"

"Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to either of those questions..." she sighed. "But, he did come back around two months later to thank me. He wasn't using a wheelchair or crutches, so I thought, maybe this man had a twin brother... but no. He'd completely replaced his leg with a mechanic one. Not just his leg, the _entire_ right side of his body. All the way up to his neck. Even his arm was gone, replaced with a robotic one."

"Fascinating."

"Indeed. Well, he wouldn't answer any of my questions, but we became good friends after that. That's when he gave me this." Shizuru gestured to the device in her hand. "He said it was how he knew to come to my house for help. It told him my intentions were good."

Natsuki gulped. Good intentions? _Uh oh... _

"It measures whether a person has good or bad intentions?" The mechanic asked warily.

"Yes, amazing isn't it? It comes in handy quite a lot, especially on business trips, when I have to be wary of who I come in contact with."

"T-that's cool..."

"And very useful! Here," Shizuru handed the device over to the blunette, who took it uncertainly. She rolled it over in her hands several times, wondering if she really wanted to now the truth. "Well, open it, silly!" Shizuru never used the gadget on Natsuki on a whim. She wanted to trust her own instincts for once, and she hoped her they were correct. The mechanic put her fingers on the cool brass and lifted up.

BOOOM!

Natsuki yelped in shock, fumbling with the pocketwatch. The thunder sounded like a bomb going off right outside the door.

"Natsuki!" Shizuru had fallen off the chair and was pointing, wide-eyed, behind the mechanic.

Natsuki spun around to see half of her kitchen was destroyed.

Both were speechless as a strange silence fell over the house, along with the rain. As the smoke cleared, the cause of the explosion became visible. Someone had rammed a carriage into her house. Natsuki dashed over, ready to beat the shit out of however thought it was a good idea to--

"Ah...there you are, Viola-sama..." A calm sounding voice came from the darkness of the carriage, "I've been worried sick."

Natsuki spun back around to see Shizuru staring defiantly at the source of the voice. Red met green for an instant. "Masashi-han."

A tall, dark-haired man in a gray suit stepped out of the rubble and smiled at the two women. "I've finally found you. I thought you'd been kidnapped... or worse, so I took it upon myself to search for you. Your father will be happy to know you are safe."

"Safe? Ara, I believe your services are no longer needed. Kuga-han is relieving you of your duties." she seethed, gesturing to Natsuki, who was currently confused and furious. _Kuga-han? _Natsuki growled and stepped between the two.

"Who the hell are you, and why did you just destroy my kitchen!?" she shouted, stepping up to the green-eyed man. Masashi simply laughed and pushed her out of the way to get to Shizuru.

"I am Viola-sama's escort, of course. Her father does not want his heir to travel by herself in this dangerous part of the country. So, he left me the duty of ensuring her safety," Masashi explained as he grabbed Shizuru by the arm. She'd left her revolver in the guest bedroom. "I have come to take her back to Aswald."

_A Knight!?_

"Did you not hear me, Masashi-han? I said, Kuga-han is replacing you. You no longer work for me." Shizuru voiced calmly, although she did not try to hide the venom.

"You have forgotten, Viola-sama, that I work for your father. You are in no position to fire me."

Natsuki looked on helplessly and Shizuru met her stare. Her crimson eyes were full of fear, but the rest of her face was emotionless. Natsuki was at a loss._ I can't do anything. What if this guy has a gun? I would just be putting her life in danger. _

The noble girl seemed to sense Natsuki's thoughts and mouthed: _Follow us_.

Masashi and Shizuru went to the carriage and pulled out of the rubble. As soon as the did so, Natsuki bolted to the garage and quickly equipped her armor, pulling it over her clothes quickly. Next, she grabbed Durakin and holstered it at her side. She decided against putting on the helmet, it would just limit her vision. She ran through the door and punched a button on the wall that opened the garage door, hopped on her steambike, revved the engine, and sped off into the stormy night.

xXx

"Viola-sama, that was a very unwise decision on your part, running off like that," Masashi scolded, smirking over his shoulder at the crimson-eyed beauty. Shizuru didn't say anything, she didn't even look at him. _What have I done?_

Masashi scowled and turn back to the road, steering the self-propelled vehicle around some cattle in the middle of their path. "Let's make a deal..." the spiky-haired man tried to keep his composure. "I won't tell your father about this... minor slip up... if you do something for me in return."

Shizuru had to keep herself from laughing. "Never."

"Ah, I see how it's going to be, then."

"Hm... do you?"

"You are so ungrateful, Viola-sama."

Shizuru didn't dignify herself with a response and stared intently out of the window, searching in the darkness for any sign of the mechanic.

A sickening silence prevailed over the two occupants of the carriage as the rain pelted down steadily of the roof. Minutes felt like eternity. Shizuru wouldn't have been able to hear Natsuki's steambike over the storm, so she felt completely helpless. She wished she hadn't toyed with the blunette so much when she'd asked to escort her back to Aswald. How urgently she needed to escape this man, why did she lie?

**Flashback:**

_"Do you think you would want an escort?" The green-eyed mechanic looked hopeful._

_"Ara?" _Have my prayers really been answered?This must be a trick... some sort of test...

_"Well, because I am a knight, you know, and the route is very dangerous…and…"_

_"I thought Kruger-han was a mechanic. She didn't say anything about being a knight…"_

_"Er, well, it's kind of a side-job, you know? Got to make sure those bills get paid, heh."_

_"Hm, well you see, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I have traveled back and forth from Aswald to Fuuka many a time." _

_"I know you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, but that's not the poin-"_

_"Well, what's the point of escorts are only for protection?"_

_"Do you usually walk the whole way?" Shizuru nodded her head in the affirmative, knowing full well how much of a lie that was. "Well I could take you on my bike and cut the travel time in half." The blunette reasoned, leaning forward slightly in anticipation._

_"Hm, that is quite a tempting offer…" It was fun to make the mechanic squirm. She laughed inside when Natsuki visibly tensed. "Alright, I accept your proposition, Kruger-han."_

**End Flashback**

"That was the only unwise decision I've made on this trip..." The brunette whispered to herself. She promised that if she somehow escaped from this, she would tell Natsuki the truth. All of it.

She fumbled with the 'True Intentions Device' that was still in her hands. She opened it up and pointed it at Masashi.

The arrow flew to red.

* * *

**Well... that complicates things... **

**No worries if you're confused, all will be explained. :)**

Songs:

**Talk (Alternate version) -Coldplay (Natsuki)**

Under the great lone star  
Try to work out where you are  
In the silence of the sea  
I don't know where I've been  
In the future, in the past  
Going nowhere much too fast  
When I go there follow me

Cause I don't know where I'm going but I wanna talk  
I feel like I'm going where I've been before and  
I wanna talk

**Lost Realist - Trapt (Shizuru)**

My independence is calling my name  
A doubtful voice divides my faith  
My independence only hesitates  
An unsure choice I can't embrace  
You're gonna have to carve me,  
Carve me from stone  
Right to the bone or  
I'll end up alone  
Playing the role  
Of someone in control

Why do I rush to slow down  
Why do I rush to slow down everything

My independence is turning the page  
Tomorrow comes we start to fade  
My independence only complicates  
It's not enough to meet half way

Why do I rush to slow down

**Reviews are nice. ;)**


	6. Dance With The Devil

We just got a bunch of snow! So I'm gonna go night sledding right after I upload this sucker!

Enjoy! :)

* * *

**Chapter 6**

_"That was the only unwise decision I've made on this trip..." The brunette whispered to herself. She promised that if she somehow escaped from this, she would tell Natsuki the truth. All of it._

_She fumbled with the 'True Intentions Device' that was still in her hands. She opened it up and pointed it at Masashi._

_The arrow flew to red._

**CRACK!**

The deafening sound of splintering wood filled the air, and the carriage lurched to the side, throwing Shizuru to the floor.

"What the-" Masashi cursed as he jumped out of the now stationary carriage. The brunette stumbled out after him. The back wheel had been completely destroyed, and there were shards of ice littering the muddy earth.

"This is where you stop," an armor-clad Natsuki stepped out from behind the broken carriage, Durakin safely at her side. She pulled the blade out of its scabbard and pointed the cursed metal at Masashi, who glared at her in fury.

"Well, aren't you a cocky little bitch?" Masashi straightened up and smirked condescendingly, "I'm sure that can be fixed."

"We'll see, bastard," Natsuki spat, viridian eyes intense with anger. _Who does this guy think he is? _"I don't think you _quite_ understand the situation here," she took a fighting stance and challenged the dark-haired man with a smirk.

While the two were staring each other down, Shizuru crept back to the front seat of the carriage and rummaged around for a weapon. Natsuki was too overconfident, and Masashi wasn't one to be underestimated. This could go south in an instant.

"Ha, you think you have the advantage just because you have a weapon?" Masashi removed his overcoat and threw it into the mud. "What a naive child... let me show you how a real Knight can fight."

Before Natsuki could retort he was already two feet in front of her. She didn't even see him move!

Masashi aimed an uppercut at her face, landing it with a sickening crack. A white light flashed behind Natsuki's eyes as she stumbled back, unable to comprehend the pain before he grabbed her hair and threw her to the ground violently. She rolled several yards away from the force of the blow, but managed to get back on her feet quick enough to dodge a round-house kicked aimed straight for her head. Ignoring the throbbing pain behind her eyes, she searched for an opening. But, Masashi didn't let up, he was too quick. Natsuki blocked as much as she could, but the onslaught was too fast, and she found herself in the mud again.

_Durakin!_ She'd dropped it when she was thrown to the ground. It was lying in a puddle several yards away.

Masashi had her pinned. "That was a disappointing fight... I thought you'd at _least_ last two minutes..." He curled his lip before grabbing her neck and squeezing, wanting to kill her slowly.

"Ghhuugh!" Natsuki sputtered. She needed to get out of this. _Survive_. That was her only thought. No, there was another._ I __need to save her_. She struggled violently until she managed to rip one of her arms free from under his heavy form. She grabbed his arm and dug her Obsidian-clad fingers into his skin as hard as she could, distracting him long enough for her to pull her other arm free. Before Masashi could realize what was going on, Natsuki drove a palm into his chest and hit the button on the inside of her elbow.

.

.

.

Nothing.

.

.

.

_What!?_

The weight she'd felt on her had disappeared. She glanced around urgently. Masashi was standing on the other side of the road, panting. He'd dodged the blast! _What is this guy?_

"Not bad..." he smiled, "But, play time is over, kid." Natsuki braced herself for another invisible attack as he made a step towards her.

Before he could move any further, a loud gunshot filled the air.

"AUGH!"

Masashi landed with a thud, writhing in agony. Shizuru still had the smoking barrel aimed at the twisted man, crimson eyes wide with some unreadable emotion.

"...Viola-sama?" he seethed through gritted teeth, grasping at his shoulder in desperation, as if trying to remove the bullet with his fingers. "V-V-"

"Natsuki, let's go," Shizuru commanded as she holstered Masashi's gun and made a beeline towards the mechanic's steambike. Natsuki was still on the ground, frozen in shock. Seconds later, though, she registered the brunette's words and got to her feet. She watched Masashi groan in pain.

"Wait, you're not going to finish him?" she asked incredulously, waving her arm franticly in his direction. Shizuru stopped.

"...What would that make me...Natsuki?"

Natsuki did not reply. Green met green in mutual hatred. She picked up Durakin and followed Shizuru, leaving the evil man to suffer in the stormy night.

xXx

They drove until the dawn peaked over the mountains in the horizon.

Both were soaked to the bone. They didn't go back to Natsuki's place because they knew that would be the first place Masashi would go as soon as he was back on his feet. If he'd even survived, of course. There were no towns in between Fuuka and Aswald, so they stopped on the side of the dirt road to rest. They'd barely said anything to each other the entire time. Natsuki was the first to break the tense silence.

"Are you ok?"

"Ara..." Shizuru looked at her companion in shock. Sympathy was the last thing she expected. "Y-Yes. You?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

"Good."

The mechanic coughed. "Er... about the fight... thanks for stepping in back there..." _Now she's definitely got to know I'm not a Knight... _Natsuki couldn't look at the brunette, half-expecting to be yelled at for lying. It was quite childish really.

"Oh, well, neither of us could have beaten him alone, so I should be thanking _you_." _Ara, now I'm going to have to explain..._

Natsuki took off her goggles and wiped off the lenses with her fingers. She'd taken off her armor when they stopped and laid it down in the grass next to them. Her clothes were still soaked, the armor didn't protect them from the rain.

"Uhm...that guy... Masashi was it?"

"Yes, he was my escort."

"I thought you said you traveled alone?"

"I lied."

"Why?"

Shizuru hesitated. "... I didn't want you to get involved in this. I only wanted to get away from that man as quickly and quietly as possible."

"What... exactly has he..." Natsuki trailed off, not wanting to ask the wrong question, until she suddenly remembered something. "The bruises! The bruises on your arm!" She pointed at Shizuru. "He did that to you!"

The crimson eyed girl nodded. "Yes..."

"That bastard, I should have killed him when I had the chance!" The mechanic stood up. Shizuru sighed and grabbed the blunette's arm, tugging on it for her to sit back down. Angry green met tired red. Natsuki sat down.

"Let me explain." Shizuru took a deep breath, as if bracing herself. "I started working for my father when I was sixteen, about a year an a half ago. I was able to start so young because I am the heir to the company. He had me working as an ambassador because of my maturity. However, because of my age he also hired Masashi, an amateur Knight with roots in the lower class. The first year, we actually got along, he became the big brother I never had, and... I looked up to him," Shizuru sighed. "But, about six months ago, he snapped. His fiance was killed one night when he was bringing me back home to Aswald from Aries. I'm not sure how or why she was killed, but I'm sure that's the reason for his personality change."

Shizuru took another shaky breath, but her voice never faltered. Natsuki resisted the sudden urge to hold her hand.

"He attacked me one night after a meeting. I think he was drunk, I don't really remember. There was nothing I could do at that point. It soon developed into a regular thing, and his personality changed over time. He became unpredictable, moody, and strangely polite around strangers. He used to be much like you, Natsuki... brash, headstrong, blunt... yet brave and endearing."

Natsuki wasn't sure whether that was a compliment or not. "You couldn't have reported him to the authorities? Or told your father? ....Heck... I would've just shot him."

"It's not that simple..." Shizuru reasoned. "You don't know my father. He doesn't _really_ care about me, he only sees me as a tool to make the deals he needs to keep revenue flowing into his pockets. Masashi worked cheap. So, even if I did tell my father, he wouldn't have done anything about it. And I'm fairly sure, that if I shot him, I would've been thrown out on the streets for 'threatening the company.' I didn't have anywhere to go. Plus, like I said, it was even more difficult because Masashi was like an older brother to me. That is, before he changed of course."

**Flashback (Shizuru- 16 years old)**

_"Oi, Shizuru! Stay away from that ledge!" A bright-eyed Masashi Takeda shouted, running towards the girl leaning over the rail of a bridge, trying to get a better view of the river below. "Hey, did you hear what I said!?"_

_"Ara, come again?" Shizuru turned to her guardian, faking confusion._

_"Geez, I can't leave you alone for five seconds, you little twerp!" Takeda's eye twitched in annoyance._

_"Hm, I do believe you were gone for ten minutes, not five seconds..." The brunette corrected him matter-of-factly, feigning innocence. Takeda tried to reprimand the girl for not being more careful, but soon gave up. Shizuru never took him seriously when he tried to be responsible. _

_He was only twenty four. His fiance, Tomoko Rin, often told Shizuru stories of Takeda's good nature, but his unwillingness to show it. She thought it was him being immature at first, but really, he just gets embarrassed easily. Both of them came from poorer backgrounds, and when Takeda was offered this job, he took it without question. He wanted to someday be able to support a family with Rin._

_Takeda growled. "Anyway, here's your damn ice cream." He offered a vanilla cone to the crimson-eyed girl, who took it excitedly._

_"Ookini, Takeda-niisan."_

_"Oh, shut your mouth. You act all innocent to get what you want, I know how your little mind works..." He elbowed her playfully. _

_"Hm... I think _you think_ you do..."_

_Takeda's face dropped. "Well in that case, I guess someone doesn't want piggy-back rides any more..."_

_Shizuru tried to act like that didn't bother her. "I'm sixteen. I don't enjoy such immature-"_

_"O-k... I guess since you're too old..." He shrugged and started to march away, counting down in his head. 3...2... _

_"Oof!"_

_Shizuru had jumped on Takeda's back. "Ara, nice try."_

_Takeda just laughed._

**End Flashback**

Natsuki didn't know what to say. She was never good at offering words of support. "Shizuru...I..."

"It's ok, Natsuki. He's out of my life now." The noble girl attempted a smile. "But, now I need to come up with a way to explain this to my father. He won't be pleased."

"Um, well... while we're talking about this... I guess you've already figured it out..." The blunette rubbed the back of her head, which was still sore.

Shizuru chuckled. "Natsuki, I've known you weren't a Knight since the moment you asked to be my escort."

The mechanic's eyes shot up in shock. "You knew and didn't say anything!?"

"Ara, well, I needed an excuse to get away from Masashi. Plus, I just felt like humoring you." Shizuru smiled innocently.

Natsuki smacked her palm against her forehead, but instantly regretting that action when pain shot through her skull. She groaned, letting her head rest on her knees. The rain had washed away most of the blood from her nose and lips before they stopped, but bruises were already forming.

"Natsuki, you're not ok, let me see." Shizuru tucked a few of the raven locks behind her ear.

"No, no... I deserve this. I shouldn't have lied... I should've listened to Nao..." Natsuki mumbled, mostly to herself. _He__h, never thought those words would ever come out of my mouth... "_I hate liars... but look at me," she gestured to the Obsidian armor and sword lying next to her. "Who am I kidding?"

"Well, you seemed pretty confident when you and Masashi faced off. Did you think it would be easy?"

"I didn't know what to expect, but my dad always said to always act like you know what you're doing, even when you don't." She laughed, "Yeah, that helped a lot... Thanks dad!" She pointed two fingers to the sky and clicked her tongue.

"Ara, Natsuki is forgetting, I lied too, remember? It's alright, I promise," Shizuru tried to comfort the mechanic. "Plus, I have an idea."

"Yeah? Shoot."

"Well, I can say that we were attacked by bandits on the way home, and that you just happened to be traveling by and saved me. But, _unfortunately_, Masashi was killed in action." Shizuru tapped her chin in thought. "Your name is Kuga Natsuki, and you are a young Knight who was looking for work anyway. So, you will 'escort' me back home and I will convince father to hire you."

"Hm, it sounds good, but what if something really does try and attack us?" Natsuki pulled her goggles over her head and let them hang around her neck. It was a good thing she usually wore a black shirt under her white collared shirt, because she was still soaked, and would've been _quite_ revealed to the world.

She raised her emerald eyes to crimson ones, which were deep in thought. "Well, Masashi was much more experienced than you, and that was you're first fight with a Knight. I believe Natsuki is underestimating her ability. You are a Kruger, are you not?"

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" The blunette sighed, exasperated. "Just because my dad was great, doesn't mean that I somehow inherited his greatness! I could take after my mom for all I know!"

"For all you know?"

"I never knew my mom."

"Oh, I'm sorry... I never knew my mother, either."

"Really?"

Shizuru nodded. "We have a lot in common."

Natsuki returned the nod. She decided against telling Shizuru about her plans with Shwarz. She had to admit, the crimson-eyed girl was growing on her. Natsuki couldn't remember the last time she had someone she could call a friend.

Now, she had someone else she wanted to protect.

So, for now, she would keep Shwarz a secret.

She stood up to stretch her legs, but groaned when her head throbbed in pain. She wavered on her feet for a few seconds.

"Natsuki? Really, let me look at it," Shizuru pleaded, standing up as well. It hurt the mechanic's pride to ask for help, so she finally "gave in" to Shizuru's demands.

"Yeah, ok," She faced towards the brunette, who gave her a sympathetic look when she saw the damage. There was a large purple bruise on her chin where Masashi had landed the debilitating uppercut. It went from her neck to just under her bottom lip, which was split and swollen, and she had the beginnings of a black eye. Natsuki regretted not bringing her helmet.

Shizuru sighed. There wasn't really anything she could do to help the blunette, since all of the supplies they meant to bring were left in Fuuka. The best they could do is try to make it to a house or farm along to way to ask for help. It would be difficult to make the three week trip to Aswald without any supplies. But they couldn't go back. It was too risky.

However, Shizuru was far from upset. She was relieved that Masashi was gone, and that Natsuki was indeed as dependable as her instincts told her. And she truly believed that the young Kruger could be a very talented Knight as soon as she received some proper training.

"You think we should get going?" Natsuki snapped Shizuru out of her thoughts. It wasn't even noon yet, and the needed to travel as far as they could each day.

"Yeah, we need to go," she replied, taking one last look behind her and bidding goodbye to the problems of her past. Hopefully she will have better luck in the future... maybe Natsuki will lead her to it. Said girl had to put her armor back on, an inconvenience of a vehicle such as a steambike: no storage space. Shizuru hopped on the back and put her arms around the mechanic's waist. She shivered. They would need to get warmer clothes soon, fall was fast approaching.

"Hey, Natsuki?"

"Yeah?"

"...Ookini."

_It's not over yet, Father._

* * *

Thanks for reading! Please review. It helps me improve. :)

**Songs**:

_Dance With The Devil (Breaking Benjamin)_

I believe in you  
I can show you that I can see right through  
All your empty lies, I won't stay long  
In this world so wrong

Say goodbye,  
As we dance with the devil tonight  
Don't you dare look at him in the eye  
As we dance with the devil tonight

_Already Over- Pt. 2 (Red)_

My best defense, running to you  
I can't resist, take all you want from me  
Breaking slowly

Give it all to you  
Reaching as I fall  
It's already over now


End file.
